The Clear Springs Scuba Park, located just outside Terrell Texas is a 22 acre lake that opened in June 2000 as a recreational Scuba diving facility. With a depth of 63 feet and fed by freshwater springs, the Clear Springs Scuba park is an amazing place to dive.
The Park offers numerous creature comforts such as 6 underwater dive platforms, 9 entry docks, restrooms, RV Parking with water and electricity, and camping grounds. The area around the lake is well maintained and vast. There is a snack shop called the “Divers Deli” on site near the air fill station where you can get your tanks filled for $8.00. Lots of Scuba divers flock to Clear Springs Park each weekend, with scores of certification courses taking place here each week.
The lake owing to its size and substantial depth offers a wide variety of fish and aquatic life ranging from turtles, large catfish, crappie, black bass and perch. There is abundant vegetation in the lake, and a few good walls that divers can descend along up to a depth of 55-63 feet. Added attractions such as Sisco the 50 foot shark, and an underwater cabin cruiser wreck the S.S Minnow (sunk in 2008) as well as several other dive spots keep divers occupied exploring this 22 acre lake.
Visibility ranges 15 to 30 Feet, and due to the spring water, it gets a little nippy and there is a thermocline at around 20’ where the temperature drops from about 70 Degrees at around 30 feet to 50 -59 Degrees at the thermocline. Divers are advised to wear full 3-5mm wetsuits with gloves and hoods or dry suits for those that wish to dive deeper. For those that don’t like the cold, you can always remain above the 20’ themocline and still have plenty to do and see.
The admission to Clear Springs is $20 per diver and season passes are available to frequent visitors. Air fills cost $8 and rental Scuba gear as well as drysuits are available at their dive shop. The park does get rather crowded on summer week-ends with several certification classes taking place simultaneously so if your looking for a relaxing dive, try visiting on a weekday.
Overall the Clear Springs Scuba Park is a must visit dive site if you are in Texas. The fish are plentiful and unafraid of divers, the water is clear and blue, the vegetation and dive sites are numerous and will keep you coming back to the Park for more.
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Photos by: Caranx latus
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OK dive if you're from the greater Dallas area and dont want to travel far. But, personally, I cant enjoy this murky water with some random sunk structures as a real dive. One cautionary note, the owner is, how should I put this nicely……far from hospitable. I saw him calling an elderly diver a thief infront of his grand kids, claiming that he didnt pay admission fees the previous day (mind you we are talking about only 20 Dollars). The elderly gentleman remained calm, went to his car and showed him the tag from the previous day, but unfortunately that only made the owner yell at him more and even address the horrified grand kids telling them never to be thieves like their grandfather! I've been around for a long time, and I have to admit I havent seen this kind of behavior often in my life. If this owner (I believe his name is Rick) doesnt pull it together soon, he risks loosing many customers. He certainly has lost me and my friends.